


The Seasons, Part 2: Spring

by elizaye



Series: FWB!verse [18]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Fluff, M/M, Pie, SO MUCH FLUFF
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-17
Updated: 2012-12-17
Packaged: 2017-11-21 09:02:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/595912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elizaye/pseuds/elizaye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean knows how to make Castiel feel better.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Seasons, Part 2: Spring

Castiel’s always been fond of springtime.  It’s that time of year when flowers bloom, and the temperature is perfect for him to sit outside with a really good book and just read to his heart’s content.  Dean loves calling him a nerd for it, but he ends up following Castiel out most days, anyway.

At the moment, Castiel’s halfway through reading _A Clash of Kings_ for the second time—it’s been a long time since he last read the books, and since he didn’t have a chance to read _A Dance with Dragons_ when it came out, he wants to reread the series so that it’s all fresh when he finally starts the latest book.

Meanwhile, Dean’s taking a nap, head pillowed in Castiel’s lap.

“Mm, that’s nice,” Dean mumbles.

Castiel glances down, distracted.  Green eyes peer back up at him, and okay, maybe Dean’s not sleeping.  Castiel’s hand stills, and he realizes that he’d been absentmindedly running his fingers through Dean’s soft hair, rubbing his scalp.

“Keep going,” Dean says, lips quirking up a bit.

Castiel briefly considers jiggling his legs to ruin Dean’s rest, but Dean looks so comfortable here, stretched out on the grass.  So Castiel does as he’s told, and Dean rewards him by shutting his eyes and making a rumbling sound low in his throat that is suspiciously similar to _purring_.

Yes, Castiel loves springtime.

* * *

It's nice, warm, and sunny today, a perfect spring day, and any other time Castiel would be outside with a book, taking advantage of the lovely weather.

But right now, Castiel can't enjoy it.  He just got off the phone with his boss, and everything in the world is awful because Amelia Novak's going on maternity leave this fall, and they need someone to take over her position teaching Complex Analysis, and sure, maybe one of Castiel's majors back when he was a lowly undergrad was pure math, but that doesn't mean he actually _remembers_ any of it now, years later.

He's running fingers through his hair agitatedly when Dean wanders over.  He takes one look at Castiel and says, eyebrows raised, “What’s wrong?”

Castiel explains the situation, finishes with a complaint about how he doesn’t remember any of this shit, so how the hell can he be expected to teach it?  Honestly, is the administration really _that_ desperate?

Dean listens to it all with a fond smile, but even that isn’t cheering Castiel up like it normally is. “Listen,” Dean says, “you’re one o’ the smartest people I know. You have a whole summer to prep before you actually gotta start teaching, and… you’re awesome. Don’t worry, Cas. You got this. Okay?”

He breaks into a soft laugh on the last word, and Castiel can’t help the smile that twists his lips at that sound. “Thank you, Dean,” he says.

Dean grins, leans down to press their lips together, and Castiel thinks that maybe, just maybe, it won’t be a complete disaster.

“Mm,” Dean hums as he pulls back, licking his lips.  He grabs Castiel’s hand.  “C’mon.”

“Where are we going?” Castiel asks, allowing himself to be pulled along.

Dean doesn’t answer, and a few minutes later, Castiel finds himself seated in the passenger seat of the Impala, looking at the shops as they pass by.

And after a few more minutes of silence, Castiel gets it.  This is what Dean does when he’s upset, or stressed out, or just wants to relax for a bit—he goes out for a drive, leaves his worries behind for the length of time while he’s behind the wheel.  For that period of time, it’s just him and the two-lane blacktop, and that’s perfect for him.

Dean doesn’t like words.  Anyone who knows him well is aware of this.  He doesn’t like them because that while they’re effective for communication, they’re also so easily misunderstood, manipulated, twisted until they carry different meanings.

While Dean’s gotten better about speaking his mind, actually talking about the things that he feels, Castiel has become accustomed to taking cues from his expressions, his actions, and he loves that Dean is sharing this with him.  Dean shoves him into the Impala, takes him for a drive, and it means _Don’t worry, Cas_ , and _Everything’s gonna be fine_ , and, most importantly, _I care about you_.

They leave the city and drive out for about another half hour before turning around to head back to town.  On their way home, Dean parks the car in front of Mama’s Little Bakery, and Castiel smiles, because in Dean’s world, pie makes everything better.

“I love you, too, Dean,” he says.

Dean flushes, and wow, Castiel will never get over how lucky he is to actually have Dean now.  “Shut up, Cas,” Dean says, because no matter how much he’s been improving, he’ll probably always be at least a tiny bit allergic to feelings.

They get out of the car and walk over to the bakery, and as usual, there’s a long line, out the door.  But Dean just walks to the side, around back, and Castiel follows, rolling his eyes, because Dean _would_ be too impatient to actually wait in line—every time they come here, Dean tries to skip out on waiting.  They stop in front of a door that says “Employees Only,” and Dean looks at Castiel expectantly.

“What?” Castiel says, playing dumb.

“Oh come on, you know we’re more likely to get the pie if you knock,” Dean says.

“True, but I’m not as interested in pie as you are.  I wouldn’t really mind if we didn’t get any,” Castiel says nonchalantly.

“Cas, don’t be a dick.”

And well, Dean was extra caring today, took him on a drive to make him feel better, and Castiel supposes he does owe Dean a pie.  So he reaches out and raps three times on the door, steps back to give it room to swing open.

“Oh, hello,” the man says when he opens the door.

“Matt,” Castiel says with a smile.  “I thought you were out of town this week.”

“Yeah, I just got back maybe… half an hour ago?  I was just helping my mom out a bit.  Baking’s a good way to relieve stress.” Matt’s eyes flick past Castiel to land on Dean, and it’s sort of ridiculous given that Matt and Lisa are _engaged_ already, but Castiel knows that Matt still doesn’t like Dean because of the ex-boyfriend thing.

“I haven’t tried it many times, but I’ve found it to be more stressful than it is relaxing,” Castiel answers.  “I can’t seem to keep myself from making a mess.”

Matt laughs.  “That’s part of the fun!  You’ve gotta make a mess when you’re baking.”

“Who are you talking to?” a voice calls from inside, and then Lisa’s face pops up over Matt’s shoulder.  “Oh, you two,” she says, smiling warmly, and Matt steps back to let her stand in the doorway.  “Go help Owen with the customers, ‘kay?  That line’s getting way too long,” Lisa says to him.

Matt presses a kiss to the top of her head.  “Yeah, okay.  I’ll see you later, guys.”  He disappears into the kitchen, and Lisa smiles, hands on her hips.

“Let me guess.”

“Don’t bother,” Castiel interrupts.  “We know you know.”

“Y’know, I must have foresight or something, because I actually just packed up a pie to take over to your guys’s place,” Lisa says.  Castiel doesn’t have to look at Dean to know that his eyes just lit up.  “Anyway, it was gonna be a surprise, but… here, wait a sec.”  Lisa goes back into the kitchen, and the door swings shut behind her.

When it opens again, Matt’s mother is standing there.  “So which one of you two is in love with my pies?”

Castiel steps back so that he’s beside Dean, and Dean lifts a hand, grinning.  “Guilty.”

She smiles and holds out a hand for Dean to shake.  “Jody,” she says.

“Dean,” Dean answers, taking her hand.

Jody extends her hand to Castiel next, and he takes it, offering his name as well.  Her hands are smooth, only a bit wrinkled, and she has a very firm grip.

“It’s nice to meet some of Lisa’s friends for once,” Jody says.

“Hey, it’s not my fault you hate flying,” Lisa says from behind Jody.

Dean chuckles.  “That makes two of us.”

“No kidding?” Jody says.  “I’ve always known I couldn’t be the only one, but it’s nice to hear that a strong young man can also have a fear of flying.”

“Yeah, I’d much rather be behind the wheel o’ my baby,” Dean says.

“Well, I like a man who takes control over his own destiny.”

“Jody, I swear, I have no idea what you’re talking about, sometimes,” Lisa says, edging past Jody to hold a pie out to them.  It’s closer to Castiel, so he takes it and passes it to Dean, reaching into his pocket for his wallet.

A hand on his arm stops him, and he looks up into Jody’s large, brown eyes.  “Don’t worry about it, honey.  This one’s on the house.”

“Oh,” Castiel says, surprised.  “I—are you sure?”

Jody laughs, and it’s a lovely sound.  “Yes, of course I am.”  As she finishes speaking, a timer goes off in the kitchen, and she half-turns.  “Oh!  Seems it’s time for me to get back to work—thank you for stopping by, boys.”

“Thanks for the pie, Jody,” Dean says, and she just waves a hand dismissively as she disappears back into the building.

“Hey, we’ve gotta do that double date we’ve been talking about, okay?” Lisa says, and Castiel cringes reflexively.

“What double date?” Dean says.

Lisa looks surprised, and then she starts laughing.  “Oh, you haven’t said anything yet!” she says to Castiel.

“Obviously,” Castiel says dryly.

“Dude, I’m not doing a double date,” Dean says.  “It’s so… _college_.”

“Oh come on, it’ll be fun,” Lisa says.

“I don’t—”

“You can still have sex after a double date.  I mean, it’s not like we’ll all be going home to the same house or anything,” Lisa reasons, and Castiel has to laugh at the look on Dean’s face.

“Lisa, don’t worry.  I’ll talk him into it,” he says.

“Cas!” Dean says, looking betrayed.

“Okay, great.  I’ll see you two lovebirds later,” Lisa coos, and Dean throws a dirty look her way.  She pulls the door shut, and Dean and Castiel walk back around toward the parking lot.

“We’re not doing a double date, okay?  Matt already doesn’t like me.”

“And you think a double date would make it worse?  I think he likes you just fine.  He’s just possessive over Lisa because you two used to be together.  It’s a territorial thing.  Animals do it, too.”

“Yeah?  Well how come you’re not all territorial whenever we’re around Lisa, then?”

“Because I know Lisa, and I know you, and I know that whatever was between the two of you is now over.  It helps that I think our relationship is stable,” Castiel replies easily.

Their relationship really _has_ become stable.  It’s been almost a year since the car-wreck-ending of their casual relationship and the tentative beginning to their romantic one, and while Dean still hasn’t managed those three words, Castiel is secure in his belief that Dean’s getting there, that he _will_ get there eventually.

As an afterthought, he adds, “Also, I trust you.”

“So what you’re saying is that Matt doesn’t trust Lisa?”

“No, not necessarily,” Castiel says, pausing to think about it.

“Whatever, it doesn’t matter,” Dean says as he gets into the car.  “We’re still not going on a double date with them, and that’s final.”

Castiel smiles.  “For now.”

Dean glances over at Castiel’s expression and groans.  “Oh, come _on_.  You can’t just—it’s wrong to use sex like that, man!”

“I wasn’t even thinking about sex,” Castiel says innocently, looking down at the pie in his lap.  “I was thinking more along the lines of hiding this pie from you.  Withholding sex leaves both of us unsatisfied, but I don’t mind when there’s no pie.  It’s much more effective.”

“Cas,” Dean groans.  He starts the car and maneuvers it out of the parking lot.  “You come between me and my pie, and I’m gonna rip you into pieces.”

Castiel smirks.  “That’s really not discouraging at all, Dean.  You know I’ll enjoy it.”

Dean mutters something unintelligible under his breath, but when they’re at a stoplight and he looks over at Castiel, he’s smiling despite himself.  “Cas,” he says, his voice a bit softer than usual, “don’t ever change.”

And Castiel just smiles and silently vows that he won’t.


End file.
